For as long as gasoline powered motors have been around the need to increase the efficiency of these motors has been an issue. Many people and companies have spent money on the research and development on the design of products with the specific intent to improve fuel economy. One of the main areas to improve fuel economy is with the delivery of air to the combustion chamber. The more efficiently the air and or fuel can be delivered into the combustion chamber the more complete the burn, the higher the horsepower and ultimately the more efficient the engine. A number of patents have been issued that address changing how the air flows into the throttle body, through the plenum and into the cylinders of the engine.
One method of changing or adjusting the airflow through the plenum is covered in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,210,107 and 4,977,866 issued to Shaffer and Wilkins respectively. These patents disclose using an adjustment plates or walls placed within the plenum of an engine. The location of the plates within the plenum can be externally adjusted to move the plates within the plenum whereby tuning the airflow as it passes through the plenum. While these devices allow the airflow through the plenum to be adjusted, they require manual adjustment to the plates within the plenum, are expensive to install, and include and adjustment component that allows for maladjustment of the plates or walls.
Another method of changing or adjusting the airflow through the plenum is covered in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,776,146 and 6,776,400 issued to Ricart-Ugaz et al and Laneuvill respectively, these disclose the use of a flow obstructer that is placed in the path of air that enters the top of the carburetor or throttle body. These devices disturb the air entering the throat of the throttle body to create turbulent airflow. They further obstruct a portion of the air entering the throttle body and create a change in the flow of air into the engine. While they provide a diversion of the air entering the engine, the air flow entering the throttle body may be turbulent airflow. Placing these devices within the throttle body create pressure changes that may slow down the air as it enters the plenum.
A number of other patents disclose placing turbulent or swirling obstruction on top of the carburetor, throttle or within the plenum. These devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,574 issued to Hanff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,386 issued to Reyes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,742 issued to Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,163 issued to Linder et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,642 issued to Kim, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,124 issued to Chang and U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,296 issued to Kim. All these products introduce an obstructer into the airflow with an attempt to better mix the air and fuel. In the process of creating turbulent flow they also restrict the amount of air entering the engine and cause pressure changes with the plenum.
What is needed is a simple to install product that can be placed within a standard factory plenum or can replace a factory plenum that will smooth out the airflow within the plenum and allow more air to enter the engine and increase the horsepower from the engine. The proposed plenum airflow diverter provides this solution by providing simple component that can be placed within the plenum of a vehicle or where the plenum can be replaced to provide the features disclosed in this application. The proposed device satisfies these needs.